Government's call for unity is an empty ballyhoo, says JVP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 05:40 GMT]Mounting an all-out attack against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's leadership, major coalition partner of her Freedom Alliance government, radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has said on Friday that the call by the government leadership for national unity was an "empty ballyhoo".

Describing the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government's leadership as the "emperor without clothes', a senior member of the JVP, who is also the Minister of Small and Rural Industries, K.D. Lal Kantha has urged the people not to expect the present government leadership to rebuild the nation and also "not to expect the 'big people' to tell them this home truth".

According to Colombo-based media reports, Minister Lal Kantha, has made these remarks while speaking at a discussion held at the Tower Hall Theatre with members of the Chambers of Commerce, small and micro industrialists, bankers and university lecturers to seek suggestion on how to rebuild the tsunami-hit nation.

"It might be possible to rebuild a town or two enlisting contractors with fanfare. But certainly it will not help in rebuilding the nation. There should be a well-designed national action plan to rebuild the nation, to usher in national revival, to rise from the ashes of the tsunami disaster. But does the government have such an action plan," the JVP Minister has asked.

Pointing out that the government leadership has miserably failed to maintain with any degree of credibility the unity achieved with much difficulties to form this government, Minister Lal Kantha, has asked how one could expect such a leadership to bring together more political parties or reach a wider national consensus.

Highlighting the bottom line that neither Parliament nor the Cabinet has been consulted in the effort to rebuild the nation aftermath the tsunami natural disaster, the JVP Minister has said that nobody knew as to who was answerable at such a situation.

Although President Chandrika Kumaratunga has set up several Task Forces to handle relief, rehabilitation and reconciliation program aftermath the tsunami, she has not included a single JVP member or supporter to any of them, a decision widely seen as a move to sideline or cut the always rhetoric JVP to size.

The widening crisis within the UPFA also surfaces at a time when the Main Opposition United National Party (UNP) has offered an unequivocal support to President Kumaratunga in her effort to rebuild the country.